Mans Uncertainty in the Universe Exposed in Moby Dick The culture this great author was a part of was the time in American history where inspiring works of literature began to emerge. It was also a time when American writers had not completely separated its literary heritage from Europe, partly because there were successful literary genius flourishing there. Herman Melville was born on August 1, 1819, he was the son of Allan and Maria Melville. During Hermans childhood he lived in the good neighborhoods of New York City. In 1832 Herman suffered tragedy when his father died after trying to cope with the stress of debts and misfortunes. After a short time in a business house in New York City, Herman determined he needed to go to sea. He spent years traveling on a variety of ships, including whaling ships. Melvilles perspective on life is that God created the universe with an infinite number of meanings and man is always trying to determine one specific meaning. Due to his difficult life experiences, the lessons that Melville weaves into his writing are, exposition on whales and the whaling industry, commentary on the universe and human destiny and thoughts about God and Nature. The protagonist in this book is Ishmael, a Christian, schoolteacher and part-time sailor. Ishmaels role in the hunt for Moby Dick is to interpret what is happening. He discusses his reasons for going to sea and interprets and looks for understanding a number of reasons for any specific action where other characters only understand one reason. It is hard to say what changes take place in Ishmaels personality during the story, since he is the narrator he doesnt talk about himself, he only talks about what he sees. We can learn about Ishmael through his relationships with others. Ishmael befriends Queequeg who is a cannibal. Even though Queequeg is very ugly Ishmael sees that Queequeg has an honest heart, great honor, and a lot of courage. This friendship had a positive influence on Ishmaels behavior because it taught him not to judge on outward appearances. Another relationship that was very short was the relationship between Ishmael and Captain Ahab. For the first few days aboard the Pequod Ishmael always saw Ahab in the shadows. When Ishmael finally saw Ahab he had shivers run through his body. Ishmael felt Ahabs attitude of determination, dedication and hatred towards Moby Dick in Ahabs appearance. This relationship was a negative relationship because Ishmael now feared Ahab and did not want to become friends with such an evil person. The conflict that Ishmael experienced was that he saw how Ahab was such an evil man and that Ishmael was a good natured man and did not want to be corrupted by Ahab. To resolve this conflict Ishmael stayed away from Ahab. Representative Passage on Imagery and Figurative Language Yonder, by the ever-brimming goblets rim, the warm waves blush like wine. The gold brow plumbs the blue. The diver sunlong dived from noon,goes down; my soul mounts up! she wearies with her endless hill. Is, then, the crown too heavy that I wear? this Iron Crown of Lombardy. Yet is it bright with many a gem; I, the wearer, see not its far flashings; but darkly fell that I wear that, that dazzlingly confounds. Tis ironthat I knownot gold. Tis split, toothat I feel; the jagged edge galls me so, my brain seems to beat against the solid metal. Chapter LV A. The details being used to make us feel like we are watching a sunset is that it says the warm waves blush like wine. The gold brow plumbs the blue. The diver sunlong dived from noon,goes down; my soul mounts up! The similes the author uses are the comparison of the colored waves of the sunset to wine. I believe that when the author is talking about the Iron Crown of Lombardy he is talking about the sun. When it says Is, then, the crown too heavy that I wear? he is talking about the sunrise as the sun first starts ascending. I think that noon is where it is says Yet is it bright with many a gem; I, the wearer, see not its far flashings;. I also think that Tis ironthat I knownot gold. Tis split, toothat I feel; the jagged edge galls me so, my brain seems to beat against the solid metal. means he wants to take off the crown signifying sunset. The objects that are representative of larger ideas are Moby Dick who is a symbol of all of the things in the universe. The color of the whale being white could mean so many different and conflicting things that it cant be narrowed down to one meaning. The coffin that was turned into a buoy that saved Ishmaels life could suggest that the meaning of any object lies in the beholder of the object not the object itself. The place that is a representative of a larger idea is the sea. The sea represents a mans life, it symbolizes the fears that a man must overcome in life in order to gain a fuller understanding of life. The sea is a constant presence throughout the novel. As the sea is constantly in the background of the scene. References to previous literature are outlines on the Sperm Whale, but the literature he is referring to do not have name of the works only the names of the authors. I know of only four published outlines of the great Sperm Whale: Colnett, Huggins, Frederick Cuviers, and Beales. Representative Passage on Tone and Authors Philosophy What a pity they didnt stop up the chinks and the crannies though, and thrust in a little lint here and there. But its too late to make any improvements now. The universe is finished; the copestone is on, and the chips were carted off a million years ago. The metaphors Melville is using indicates the condition of man and about mans uncertainty in the universe we live in. His tone is that of questioning man choosing his own destiny through his own actions. Melvilles attitude is that of Mans absolute insignificance in the universe. There is nothing Man can do to improve the present state of the universe once he has acted on his decision. Aspects of his philosophy which can be inferred is Mans continual struggle with himself in this universe. The vastness of the universe and mans place in it is difficult for the average man to comprehend. At best he can just figure out one meaning, but there could be more. I. Evaluation This novel has influenced my attitudes and beliefs on the destiny of man and has shown me that there is more than one view of every object. It showed me that I need to be open minded and examine things from more than one point of view before I judge the object. In this novel one of the authors goals was of indicating the condition of man and about mans uncertainty in the universe we live in. Melville also shows the reader about Mans absolute insignificance in the universe. I believe the author was very successful in achieving these goals. Herman did a great job of representing objects with things of deeper meaning. Throughout the book you are shown Mans insignificance in the universe by the relationship of the crew to the ocean. You are also shown of how a Mans decision once executed cant be changed, an example of that is when Captain Ahab throws the spear into Moby Dick. The spears rope got wrapped around Ahabs neck and when the whale dove Ahab went with it. There was nothing Ahab could do to escape. I. The topics in this novel are very true but an adventure loving reader will read this book and focus on what went on rather than what the novel was trying to say. This book could be significant to a reader who wants to know about Mans relation to the universe. The difference this novel will have on society is that it will help a person find their relation to the universe. Bibliography Melville, Herman. Moby Dick, Spencer Press, Inc. 1936 Webmaster Unknown. Herman Melville
Throughout the book the audience has seen Ishmael go through adventure and sorrow. In the novel Ishmael is forced to go to war at age thirteen, but what keeps him going were his grandmother's wise words. His grandmother was the one who told him powerful lessons that he could use in real life. These lesson that Ishmael is keeping him grounded is not only from his grandmother but also from his friends. Lessons that were seen by the readers are “wild pigs”, “Bra Spider”, and the story about the moon.
Ishmael kills people without it being a big problem or deal. He was forced and threatened. If not then he would be killed. First, he was terrified to see people being killed. In the book, Ishmael quotes “My hand began trembling uncontrollably…” This shows that Ishmael is being aware of his surroundings and of himself. This is important because it shows how Ishmael feels before he and his
The juxtaposition of the Titanic and the environment in the first five stanzas symbolizes the opposition between man and nature, suggesting that nature overcomes man. The speaker characterizes the sea as being “deep from human vanity” (2) and deep from the “Pride of Life that planned” the Titanic. The diction of “human vanity” (2) suggests that the sea is incorruptible by men and then the speaker’s juxtaposition of vanity with “the
To begin, Melville believed that "we are all sons, grandsons, or nephews or great-nephews of those who go before us. No one is his own sire." Thus, his writings both mimic Emerson's views and repel it. For ex...
Early experiences in Melville’s life influenced many of his writings and the themes of his stories. As you know all of this began in a particular way, just like everybody else’s life.
live boring, uninspired lives. Melville definitely shows his frustration toward the creator and Christian teachings.
The most common mythological theme across different cultures is the creation of humankind because everyone has always questioned how the earth was created and so forth. Creation myths are “usually applied to a mytho-religious story which explains the beginning of humanity, life, the earth and the universe as being the result of a deliberate act of supreme beings or being” ("Creation myths," 2007). Individuals from different cultures believe in a higher power known as God and they believe that the higher power is the creator of earth, animals and humankind, however each culture believe in different Gods but they all believe that God is the creator and that is the universal theme across different cultures.
Written during a period of American history characterized by great expansionism, Herman Melville's Moby-Dick may be read as a reflection upon both the rapidly changing geographical frontiers of America, and the accompanying shift of social, political, religious and cultural boundaries. The Pequod's world is governed by laws other than those of the American mainland. Figuratively situated at the frontier of the New World, the ship evokes the mythic American pioneer with the independent spirit, aggression and courage to wrench a nation from the wilderness. Melville lays out a version of the frontier myth that sees redefinition of national identity in terms of man confronting his other, reaffirming the self, and - through Ishmael's survival and narration - returning to civilization having defined what he is not.. Captain Ahab and his obsessive quest for the white whale symbolize in its most extreme form, an American desire to face the wild unknown and to promote national ascendancy through the confrontation.
In each of these stories, the tale of creation has been presented with a unique twist. Yet there are several important similarities among the various myths. Besides explaining creation, there is always one major creator. However, in some stories such as that of the Boshongo, the creator had helpers whereas in the Shilluk tale, Juok worked alone. In the Boshongo myth, Bumba creates nine animals and mankind. Then these animals and Bumba's three sons worked together creating everything else. In the Shilluk tale, obviously everything is related somehow because everything shares the same creator. Even in other stories where the creator has helpers, however, all of these helpers were made by the creator and thus everything is still connected.
A predominant theme among African creation myth is the people's relation to the land, as a means of survival and origin. The shilluk myth, "An African Story of the Creation of Man" and the Yoruba people's myth, "The Creation of the Universe and Ife" state that man was first made from clay. Both creation myths indicate an awareness and a need for explanation of the physical differences among human beings. The Shilluk myth claims that there are different colored people because of the varying colors o f clay that Joak, the creator according to this myth, encountered as he wandered the world. The Yoruba people's myth explains the differences in the shapes of humans as a result of the god Obatala being drunk when he shaped man out of clay. In both myth s, the action of the creating god caused the variation in man's physical characteristics.
"To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme. No great and enduring volume can ever be written on the flea, though many there be who have tried it" states the narrating character Ishmael as he attempts to justify his reasoning on writing such a lengthy novel. Indeed, the whale may be the most complex and grandiose mammal on earth, yet one may still question the ulterior motive of Melville for explicating every detail of a whaling journey in Moby Dick. In fact, Melville develops many themes throughout the text that lead the reader to believe that his "mighty theme" is the meaning of life. Thus, the adventure of hunting the Great White Whale, Moby Dick, can be seen as a giant analogy to seeking the meaning of life. Through this journey, Ishmael describes the different members of the crew and their interpretation of the whale. Yet, Ishmael refrains from assigning one particular meaning to the whale and, in the end, is the only crewmember to survive the journey. Symbolically, Melville believes that an individual must be able to see many meanings in life in order to survive the trap of intolerance of different beliefs and lifestyles. To evidence this hypothesis, Melville presents a number of ironic contrasts in the text including religious hypocrisy, the false appearance of the sea, the relationship of Good and Evil, the coffin as a dual symbol of both life and death, the interpretations of the whiteness of the whale, and the life/death issue of the whaling industry. Through these contrasts, Melville strives to awaken the reader to the many meanings of life and to avoid limiting one’s mind to one, fixed meaning.
Herman Melville believed deeply in his notion that the common-man receives no justice, only the elite member in a society. Perhaps his belief originated in the society that he lived in, or the situations such as a Civil War, that impacted his viewpoint. Throughout this story, the reader is repeatedly introduced to the consistent idea that the common-man is on his own, and the situations that he encompasses are distorted and augmented as time passes.
As man is bound to his subjective perception, inhibited from comprehending the essence of things, he is forced to apply personal, extraneous meaning to them or find himself devoid of it altogether. Loftiness of such application is the nature of romanticism, and such is the nature of Melville’s Moby Dick. The sea becomes vogue, limbo for the reticent felo-de-se; the untraversed, the nebulous, even the numinous. The Pequod assumes the role of a nation of men—30 men for 30 states is explicit enough—doomed by the mad will of him in power. The Whale either becomes God, myth, the embodiment of evil, or all of the above, depending on which character’s perception is to be taken. Indeed, Moby Dick contains myriad instances of such applied meaning, but the focus of this paper will be that of three of the most prominent: that of the sea, that of whiteness, and that of Moby Dick.
Moby Dick's structure is in a sense one of the simplest of all literary structures-the story of a journey. Its 135 chapters and epilogue describe how Ishmael leaves Manhattan for Captain Ahab's whaling ship, the Pequod, how Ahab pilots the Pequod from Nantucket to the Pacific in search of Moby Dick, and how in the end Ishmael alone survives the journey. This simple but powerful structure is what keeps us reading, as we ask ouselves, "Where will Ahab seek out his enemy next? What will happen when he gets there?"
The breeze from the Indian Ocean moved across my skin like freshly ironed silk as I stood on the fantail of the aircraft carrier looking up at the night sky. It is an impressive sight to look upon the fires of those uncountable stars. If you were to take the grandest starlit sky that you could imagine, then imagine it after God has thrown another bucket of stars across the dark. That is like the night sky at sea can be.